Any experience with Fiat 500

[CrusherCurtis]

Looks are subjective.

The only thing that came to mind the first time I saw a 500 was.... "Automotive equivalent of a handbag."

This as well.

[Bimmerista]

The only thing that came to mind the first time I saw a 500 was.... "Automotive equivalent of a handbag."

Couldn't have said it any better. Its one of those cars that you'll grow tired of very quickly.

[TDE30]

Couldn't have said it any better. Its one of those cars that you'll grow tired of very quickly.

Eh, disagree. The handbag comments are entirely subjective. It's not a car that anyone takes seriously (especially the Abarth,) it's more of a genuinely fun, well-built car that you can buy new for low $20k. Not many cars can say that, save for the FR-S/GT86 series. I'll agree that a non-sport, non-Abarth model is unabashedly feminine, but otherwise it's a good little car that won't bruise up your ego when seen in one. And after 8-10 months with the Abarth, I don't think we've grown tired of it's character one bit.

/$0.02



At any rate, Jean, you should go drive one. You haven't mentioned which trim level you were interested in, but Abarths are right at $25k if it helps with the decision making.

[FasterSoonerNow]

The 500 is a unique little car and in 2013 that's pretty rare. So many cars are built to fill some segment in the market. Throw in some wind tunnel designing and they all look the same.
Is it feminine?.. that's pretty subjective. Personally, I don't give a shit and anyone who's graduated high school shouldn't either.

[evandael]

I would get a sport turbo. it had the same mechanicals and body styling as the abarth but is over 3 grand cheaper. plus you can get it in different colors.

if you feel the need, buy someone's take-off abarth exhaust, flash the ECU, and some nice wheels and suspension. you're likely still under the price of the abarth with much more performance!

I personally love them. my girlfriend and I test drove one a few months ago and it's a nicely appointed car for the price, the ergonomics were way better than the mini and it was assembled well.

[F34R]

I drove a sport last year, they feel stupid cheap. Everything is plastic and the sunroof model does not fit tall people very well. But it gets up well and has great leg room. It is a 13,000 car, so I guess if you keep that in mind it is not bad. Not my cup of tea. I kinda liked the white with the red cloth top.

[Thizzelle]

School me, how are these for DD?

just sat in one, it's fuckin tiny and the shifter is in a weird spot that makes you float your arm out almost like reaching for the radio knobs the whole time. It sucked. I'm also 6'3"

[freeride53]

The Abarth is certainly an attractive package.
The regular model, not so much, IMO.

[nrubenstein]

Ah yes, as previously mentioned, the Abarth is sold in the US sans resonators and sans mufflers. The result is hilarious, loud pops during upshifts/downshifts with ease. It definitely turns the cute European hatch into the bastardly neighborhood mouse. See below.



Curtis, it's noticeably lighter than the R53/R56 Minis, and boasts 160bhp/170tq. It's a riot, but it seems to suffer from torque steer more than any Mini I've ever driven.

Just to be clear, this video does not in any way do the exhaust note justice.

[Emre]

Tiny car + short wheelbase + stiff springs = bouncy pogo-stick ride quality

No steering feel + no power + FWD = less fun to drive than a Toro mower

Totally overpriced + looks like a birthday cake = you'd have to be nuts to buy one

[CrusherCurtis]

it's more of a genuinely fun, well-built car that you can buy new for low $20k.

Sat in one at auto show, felt horribly cheap. I could probably think of 100 off the top of my head have more fun with $20k. If your going to buy a small car with no rear doors, and no real trunk space their are tons of much better options, that make more power. The kicker is it only gets 30 mpg.

Tiny car + short wheelbase + stiff springs = bouncy pogo-stick ride quality

No steering feel + no power + FWD = less fun to drive than a Toro mower

Totally overpriced + looks like a birthday cake = you'd have to be nuts to buy one

/Thread!!

[tcheb]

I drove it once as a rental car. I really wanted to like this car. And I really, really tried... The idea of a small car that is not as insanely overpriced as the mini or the beetle seemed interesting.

The ride is just horrible. Keeping the car straight on the highway when trucks pass you by is a major challenge. And before you say, well yeah it's a small car, I'll say I have driven other small cars, and this one was by far the worst! Something about the ratio of weight to height maybe makes it a particularly prone victim to wind gusts.

The build quality makes a Chevy look like a Rolls Royce. The car I drove had 3K miles on the clock and one of the door hinges was already broken. Everything about it just screams cheapness.

For the looks, it might be personal, but from behind it just looks plain stupid. The new minis are horrific but the 500 comes very close.

[dreeves]

+1 to the above. I've driven a few as rentals; they feel tall, tippy, bouncy, cheaply made and slow. Not fun to drive.

[Jean]

Lol at some of the comments. Thanks all!

[TDE30]

lol, well apparently it's the shittiest car of the century. But I find some amusement in it; and sure, much of the interior is a bit plasticy, but there's not a new $20k car out there that isn't. Go drive one for yourself, Jean, you may like it.